Corset



NITED STATES] MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COLORADO.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,361, dated February 1, 1898.

Application filed May 18, 1897. Serial No- 6 37,049. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, OLIVER M. OHEsNEY, of Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention contemplates certain new and useful improvements in corsets.

In Letters Patent No. 561,7 61, issued June 9, 1896, I showed and described an improved form of corset-clasp comprising locking devices connected in series in such manner that a pull exerted on one of them would be com- -municat ed to the others, thereby simultane-,

ously releasing all the eyes or staples held by said devices. The use, as well as the manufacture, of corsets provided with that form of fastener has resulted in various improvements in the construction of the several fas teners, in the manner of attaching the same to the bust-stay, thereby strengthening the latter, in the manner of securing the fabric covering to the stay, and in minimizing the number of parts employed and at the same time lessening the weight of each fastener. I have also found that the connections between the several fasteners can be improved, so that no matter how far the bust-stays may be bent they will not become disconnected.

The present improvements also contemplate greater ease in applying a corset, whereby the several fasteners and the interlocking eyes may be quickly united.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims. z

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view'showing a pair of corsets fastened at the top, with the lower ends spread. Figs. 2 and 3 show opposite face views of the two buststays. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the fastener-carrying stay withthe fasteners removed. Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the fastener-casings. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 7 7, Fig.6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the fastenerplate. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectionon line 9 9,

Fig. 11. Fig. 10 is a detached view showing one of the fasteners with only a portion of the covering secured thereon. Fig. 11 is a longitudin al sectional View taken through one of the fasteners. Fig..12 is a view in perspective of one of the" fastener-casings.

' Referring to the drawings, A and A designate the two bust-stays of a corset. To the inner face of the latter are secured staples a, all of which, as customary, are made rigid save the topmost one, a. This latter has a rounded shank ofiwhich, after being projected through a hole in the stay, has its end a flanged, whereby a swivel or pivot bearing for said staple is secured. The purpose of swiveling the topmost staple is to enable the two stays to be first united at the top, and then it is with ease the operator can draw said stays together until they are united throughout their entire length. In this way greater ease is experienced in fastening the stays together, they being capable of easy control after once connected together at the top in a manner permitting them to swing, so to speak.

The stay A is provided throughoutits length with a series of suitably-spaced-apart openings b. I The longitudinal edges of the stay have recesses b, cut therein, the same extending a short distance above and below each opening. 1

B designates a series of fasteners mounted on the inner face of stay A in such manner that each of them will hold one of the staples ofv stay A projecting through the relative opening b. Each fastener comprises an inclosing casing b and an inclosed sliding plate 19 The casing b is struck up from a single piece of metal. It is formed with a central groove 19 a hole I), and an inner lip b havsigned to accommodate the longitudinal edges of the stay within the recesses b, and the fastener is secured in place by bending the flanges 6 down over the outer face of the stay. In this way all riveting is avoided and the several casings by being-made to hug the longitudinal edges of the stay at the points where the openings therein are located greatly add to the strength thereof and avoid the danger of breaking by reason of the metal removed in forming said openings. WVhen the casings are attached to the stay, their teeth Z1 are allowed to remain projecting outward; but as soon as the fabric covering WV is applied said teeth, after penetrating the latter, are bent down, and thus serve to hold said covering in place, preventing slipping and consequent wear thereof. This covering has metallic eyelets O, which are thus held in line with the openings b. The sliding plate Wis made preferably of thin brass or other suitable material. It is inclosed by casin g b and held between the latter and the stay. It is cut out in the center and at one end of said cut-out has a shorttongue d struck up therefrom. A tongue solely of the thickness of the plate would be inadequate, and for this reason I crimp said tongue so as to bring its sides closer together, leaving a narrow space or groove (1 in one face. In this way the strength of the tongue is materially increased. On its inner face the tongue is tapered or inclined toward its point, so that a staple upon being forced against said tongue and between the latter and the lip will move plate 19 as against the tension of the spring, and after freeing said tongue the latter will be immediately projected through the eye thereof. The coiled spring b serves to normally hold this tongue projected over the opening in the stay and against the lip 19 which limits the movement thereof under the tension of the spring. The opposite slotted ends d of these several sliding plates are flexibly connected together by sections of a chain (or it may be a cord) D. The plates being made as short as they can be consistently, the lengths of the chain-sections are such as to allow the wearer of the corset the utmost latitude in bending or stooping without fear that the bending of the stays will cause the chain-sections to draw on the plates and thereby disengage the staples in engagement therewith.

To the sliding plate of the topmost fastener a cord or string E is preferably connected. By pulling upward thereon all the plates of the several fasteners will be moved so as to disengage all the staples simultaneously. When the corset is applied, the cord E may be tucked out of the way.

In practice the wearer of the corset first unites the topmost staple and fastener, said staple being held by the tongue of the springpressed plate. This being accomplished and the topmost staple being swiveled, it is an easy matter for the operator to draw the two stays together, so that the stay A will overlap the stay A and the two will be firmly held together throughout their lengths by the staples of the former engaging the fasteners of the latter. No matter how much bending or twisting the wearer may indulge in the several fasteners will retain their hold on the respective staples.

The advantages of my present invention are apparent to those skilled in the art. It

will be specially observed that I obviate the use of rivets for attaching the fasteners to their stay and that the manner in which the latter are secured greatly strengthens the stay at the point of location of the openings therein. It will also be seen that the covering for the stay is securely held to the latter as against slipping, and that the several improvements, utilizing but a minimum amount of metal, do not materially add to the weight of a corset.

It will also be particularly observed that by corset either from the lower end upward or from the top downward.

I claim as my invention 1. A corset having overlapping bust-stays, one of which is provided with an upper engaging device pivotally mounted on and projecting from the face of said stay at right angle's thereto, and a series of stationary engaging devices also projecting from the face of said stay, an upper fastener on and parallel with one of the faces of the other bust-stay designed to engage said pivoted device and form a pivotal connection between said stays, and a series of fasteners connected with said former fastener for engaging with said stationary devices, substantially as set forth.

2. A corset having overlapping bust-stays, one of which is provided with an upper engaging device consisting of a staple pivotally mounted on and projecting from the face of a said stay at right angles thereto, and a series of stationary staples also projecting from the face of said stay, an upper fastener on and parallel with one of the faces of the other bust-stay, designed to engage said pivoted staple and form a pivotal connection between said stays, and a series of fasteners connected with said former fastener and designed to fit over and hold said staples, each of said fasteners having a movable member designed to engage its respective staple, said pivoted staple being designed to be first engaged with its fastener in uniting said stays, substantially as set forth.

3. A corset having one of its bust-stays formed with a series of openings, a corresponding series of fasteners, comprising sliding plates movable across said openings, and inclosing casings for said plates having their sides hugging the side edges of said stay adjoining said openings, substantially as set forth.

4:. A corset having one of its bust-stays I formed with a series of openings, and aseries ing therefor having teeth projecting therefrom and a covering for said stay designed to be penetrated by said teeth, Which latter are thenbent down to hold said covering, as set forth.

6. A corset having one of its bust-stays formed with a series of openings, and aseries of recesses in its side edges adjoining said openings, a corresponding series of fasteners, comprising sliding plates movable over said openings, inclosing casings for said plates having side flanges designed to fit in said recesses and to be bent over against the opposite facevof said stay, and also having teeth at the ends of said flanges, and a covering for said stay designed to be heldthereon by it said teeth, substantially as set forth.

7. A corset having one of its stays formed with openings, a series of casings attached to said stay adjoining said openings, said casings having inwardly-projecting lips, sliding plates inclosed by said casings having tongues designed to project across said openings and formed with grooves, springs located between said lip and said grooves, and a series of chains or cords connecting said sliding plates, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

OLIVER CHES NEY.

Witnesses E. S. TAINTOR', F. W. FREEMAN. 

